Support for the Nurses of Eating Disorder Inpatients

Abstract

Patients with eating disorders may engage in avoidance behaviors and act out during therapy due to the character of the disease itself. Typically, these behaviors are expressions of dissatisfaction that result in refusal to communicate with or difficulties in communicating with the nursing staff, speech and behavior that attempt to manipulate the therapists and caregivers, and running away from the ward. Based on our experience, our nurses have developed methods to create an atmosphere of an effective caregiver/patient relationship, as follows : 1) A treatment manual was developed by the nursing staff that presents possible answers to the patient actions, 2) Our nurses participate in lectures, given by doctors, that help them better understand the diseases, and 3) The nursing staff hold study meetings in which they engage in “self-learning”. 4) In addition, once a week we have a joint conference for the various types of specialists who deal with our eating disorder patients in order to succeed with a team approach. The chief physician, nurses, pharmacists, and nutritionists share their opinions. Our inpatient treatment program is based on a therapeutic frame called “cognitive-behavioral therapy using behavior limitation”. The staff deal with psyco-social problems that emerge during the course of treatment. Observing and structuring the daily life environment are indispensable to the therapeutic framework of this treatment. Our nurses play an important role in creating an environment conducive to effective inpatient treatment. We report these attitudes with a typical case report.